Sahagir takes Khulna home

Sahagir Hossain's last ditch effort took Khulna to a tight one-wicket victory over Chittagong in the National Cricket League at the BKSP ground in Savar yesterday.
When the ninth Khulna wicket fell With 18 runs required from as many balls, it was Chittagong's for the taking but Sahagir and Murad Khan added the runs needed with three balls to spare in the 38-overs-a-side game.
In a day of shortened matches, Rajshahi also had a close win. They defeated Dhaka by two wickets at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium with Delwar Hossain starring with both bat and ball.
Sylhet chased a daunting 257-run target and won by four wickets against Barisal at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium. Hannan Sarkar made the first one-day hundred of the season but that went down the drain.
After three rounds, Sylhet, Khulna and Rajshahi have two wins apiece.
CHITTAGONG-KHULNA
After a delay due to fog, the game started at quarter to eleven. Chittagong captain Nafis Iqbal batted well, scoring 74 off 110 balls with seven boundaries and a six. The right-handed batsman was one of three run-outs in the Chittagong innings as the port city side scored a modest 180 for seven from 38 overs.
Khulna built their innings around Amit Mazumder's 45, Rabiul Islam's 49 and 45 from captain Tushar Imran but once all three left, it was down to Sahagir to see Khulna home.
Tareq Aziz and Rezaul Karim shared seven wickets but Khulna won due to Sahagir's 27 off 22 balls that also earned him the man-of-the-match award.
DHAKA-RAJSHAHI
Delwar blew through the Dhaka top-order taking 3 for just four runs from nine overs. Shafaq Al Jabir also took three wickets. Arafat Sunny made 51 off 102 balls as Dhaka made 143-9 in 45 overs.
Rajshahi lost wickets at regular interval to be placed at six for 67, and only when captain Anisur Rahman and Sabbir Rahman scored runs did Rajshahi make any real push.
The game went down the wire after Dhaka reduced Rajshahi to 132 for eight in the 39th over. Mohammad Shahzada and man-of-the-match Delwar Hossain saw Rajshahi to victory in the 42nd over of the 45-over encounter.
BARISAL-SYLHET
In another shortened encounter, Barisal banked on Hannan's 116 off 112 balls to notch up 256-6 in 46 overs.
Hannan blazed a dozen boundaries and four sixes and more importantly added 138 for the fifth wicket Raisul Islam, who made 45. Paceman Rashedur Rahman held his own in the Sylhet bowling department, taking 2 for 57.
In reply, Sylhet rode on contributions from their top-order barring Ijaz Ahmed, who made just one. Mohammad Mithun struck a quick 57 off 47 balls with a four and five sixes.
Kamrul Islam ensured of the victory with 29 off 30 balls, helped by Taposh Ghosh's nine.
BRIEF SCORES
CHITTAGONG: 180-7 in 38 overs (Nafis 74, Faisal 24; Sadat 2-33).
KHULNA: 181-9 in 37.3 overs (Rabiul 49, Amit 45; Rezaul 4-37, Tariq 3-36).
Result: Khulna won by one wicket.
DHAKA: 143-9 in 45 overs (Nadif 40, Arafat 51*; Delwar 3-4).
RAJSHAHI: 145-8 in 41.3 overs (Sabbir 37, Anisur 24; Ashraful 3-18).
Result: Rajshahi won by two wickets.
BARISAL: 256-6 in 46 overs (Hannan 116, Raisul 45; Rashedur 2-57).
SYLHET: 257-6 in 44.2 overs (Mithun 57, Saikat 39; Nasir 2-34).
Result: Sylhet won by four wickets.